Slide Fastener

ABSTRACT

A slide fastener comprising a pair of tapes, a top stop, a bottom stop and rows of fastening teeth arranged on the edge of said tapes, comprising at least one pair of dummy teeth located in a gap of the rows of fastening teeth, restoring a continuity of the rows of fastening teeth, so to allow free passage of the slider, and at the same time providing a distinctive feature in the row of fastening teeth.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to European Patent ApplicationNo. 10163380.8, filed May 20, 2010, the entirety of which isincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The invention relates to slide fasteners. The invention discloses atechnique for personalizing or labeling a slide fastener.

PRIOR ART

A slide fastener basically comprises: a pair of tapes, a row of teetharranged on the edge of each tape, a top stop, a bottom stop, a sliderwith a pull-tab. The tapes are made of a fabric or plastic material; theteeth, top and bottom stop and slider are usually made of metal orplastics. The teeth have conjugate end parts that are able to engage anddisengage each other, upon the action of the slider.

The slide fastener is often required to bear decorative elements, alogo, a trademark or the like, for aesthetic purposes and/or forindividualization of the product. This is especially required by thefashion industry for high-end slide fasteners.

The tapes are not a convenient support for any decorative element orlogo. Currently, the parts of a slide fastener that are suitable to bearsuch elements are the top and bottom stops, the slider and the pull-tab.For example a symbol, a trademark or logo can be printed or engraved ina metal stop, slider or pull-tab. No other part suitable to this purposeis available. The teeth in particular are too small and hence theengaged rows of teeth in a closed slide fasteners have alwayssubstantially the same appearance.

It should also be noted that in a closed slide fastener the stops andthe slider are not so visible, being at the ends of the slide fastener.Hence, when e.g. a garment is worn, there is little possibility in theprior art to give a recognizable appearance to the slide fastener.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is aimed to improve the ability to individualize a slidefastener. The invention provides a visually distinctive element in anintermediate position of the row formed by the fastening teeth. This isaccomplished by the provision of dummy teeth between two of thefastening teeth of each row of the slide fastener, in at least oneintermediate position of the slide fastener.

Hence, the above problem is solved with a slide fastener comprising apair of tapes, a top stop, a bottom stop, a first row of fastening teetharranged on the edge of one of said tapes and a second row of fasteningteeth arranged on the edge of the other one of said tapes, the fasteningteeth of the first row being able to engage and disengage the fasteningteeth of the second row to close and open the slide fastener,characterized in that:

-   a) in at least one position of the slide fastener between the top    stop and the bottom stop, two consecutive fastening teeth of the    first row and two consecutive fastening teeth of the second row are    spaced away, thus forming a gap in the first row of teeth, and a gap    in the second row of teeth, the gap of the first row facing the gap    of the second row,-   b) a first dummy tooth and a second dummy tooth are associated to    the tapes and respectively fitted into said gaps of the first and    second row, the first dummy tooth and second dummy tooth being    suitable to restore a continuity of the rows of fastening teeth, so    to allow a free passage of the slider.

One or more intermediate gaps according to point a) above can beprovided. Preferably the intermediate gap may be located substantiallyin the middle of the slide fastener, but any position is possible. In agarment, for example, the position of a couple of said dummy teeth ispreferably in the upper half, which means closer to the upper stop, soto be more visible when the garment is worn.

The dummy teeth as disclosed at point b) above are meant as replacementelements that fill a gap in the respective row of fastening teeth,associated to a fastener tape. Said elements that do not need to engageeach other with conjugate parts in a gear-like manner, as conventionalteeth of slide fasteners do, although in some embodiments the dummyteeth may have mutually engaging parts to strengthen the slide fastener.

The dummy teeth may preferably provide an engagement which is adapted tomaintain alignment of the tapes, and to avoid the opening of the slidefastener. Said engagement is preferably substantially rigid at least ina transversal direction, i.e. perpendicular to the direction of theslider. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second dummy tootharranged in one gap of the slide fastener have coupling means in theform of at least a male part and a female part providing an engagementwhich is substantially rigid in said transversal direction.

Preferably, the dummy teeth are larger than the teeth of the slidefastener, in the longitudinal direction of the slide fastener. Beinglarger than the conventional teeth, the dummy teeth are recognizable andable to individualize the fastener.

In a preferred embodiment, a dummy tooth according to the invention isconfigured with a core portion, an upper arm portion and a lower armportion. The upper arm portion, in use, is outside a garment or itemcarrying the slide fastener, while the lower arm portion is inside. Theupper arm portion and/or the lower arm portion may have a flat surfaceadapted to carry a distinctive element. For example, a logo, trademarkor the like can be printed or engraved onto the upper and/or the lowerarm portion. More preferably, said arm portions have end flanges tosecurely hold the edges of the fastener tapes.

The distinctive feature of said dummy teeth may be achieved in any way.For example by means of shape, color, material or any combinationthereof. For example the dummy teeth may be configured to show a certainletter, number or logo when the slide fastener is closed and the twodummy teeth are facing each other. Hence, a distinctive element isformed in an intermediate position of the chain of the teeth, forexample in the middle, which is readily visible and greatly improves theindividual appearance of the slide fastener. For example, a certain logoor mark can be written or formed half on one dummy tooth and half on theother, so that the logo is composed when the slide fastener closes. Insome embodiments the left/right dummy teeth are shaped to formthemselves a trademark or logo, e.g. a symbol or letter, when they areclose together.

The dummy teeth may be of a material and/or color other than thematerial of other parts of the slide fastener, namely of the engagingteeth and stops, to enhance distinctiveness.

The left and right dummy teeth of each pair need not to be identical. Insome embodiments of the invention, the two dummy teeth are different. Ina preferred embodiment, the lower arm portion is made larger than theupper arm portion, in order to completely fill the gap between thefastening teeth.

A slide fastener according to the invention, for example, can bemanufactured by the steps of: making fastener tapes with rows offastening teeth, removing a selected number of fastening teeth in atleast one selected position of the fastener tapes, thus forming gaps inthe rows of fastening teeth, and fixing the dummy teeth to the fastenertapes, so to fill the aforesaid gaps.

A further aspect of the invention is that the above dummy teeth are ableto support additional functions. According to exemplificativeembodiments, they may have magnetic parts to provide a tactile feelingin the operation of a metal slider, such as a variation in the forcerequired to move the slider; they may have one or more holes to providetranspiration; they may host electrical contacts to detect certainactions such as opening of the slide fastener; they may support alight-emitting or light-reflecting element, so to provide a furtherdistinctive effect or night visibility. For example a slide fasteneraccording to the invention with a couple of dummy teeth with anelectrical contact can be positioned close to the upper stop and used todetect opening of the slide fastener.

The main advantage of the invention is that a novel option forindividualizing or labeling a slide fastener is allowed. A visuallydistinctive effect is obtained by a singularity in the rows of fasteningteeth, although the provision of the dummy teeth allow the normaloperation of the slider.

Moreover, the provision of one or more couple(s) of the above dummyteeth makes possible a number of additional optional features, comparedto conventional fastener. Another advantage is that the invention needsno significant modification of the slider, because the dummy teethsubstantially restore the chain of the engaging teeth and allow a freepassage of the slider. Hence, a conventional slider can be used. Anotheradvantage is that the chain of teeth is not significantly weakened, inparticular when the dummy teeth have engagement against opening of theslide fastener in the transversal direction. These and furtheradvantages of the invention will be more evident from the detaileddescription provided here below, given as indicative and not limitingexample.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is plan view of a slide fastener according to an embodiment ofthe invention, comprising a pair of dummy teeth filling a gap in therows of the fastening elements.

FIG. 2 is a detail of the slide fastener of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the slide fastener of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pair of dummy teeth of the slidefastener of FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIGS. 5 to 8 are views of the right and left dummy tooth of FIG. 4,according to one of the embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a lateral view of a detail of the slide fastener.

FIG. 10 is a top view of a slide fastener according to one of thepreferred embodiment with the dummy replacement teeth showing a letter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A slide fastener as in FIG. 1 comprises a pair of tapes 1, a top stop, abottom stop, a first row 2 of fastening teeth 3 arranged on the edge ofone of tapes 1, and a second row 4 of fastening teeth 3 arranged on theedge of the other tape 1. The teeth of the first row 2 being able toengage and disengage the teeth of the second row 4 to close and open theslide fastener upon action of a slider 7.

Two consecutive fastening teeth of the rows 2 and 4 are suitably spacedaway, forming gaps that are filled with a first dummy tooth 5 and asecond dummy tooth 6, respectively associated to tapes 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, the fastening teeth 3 a, 3 b are spaced forming afirst gap in the row 2, where the dummy tooth 5 is inserted, and thefastening teeth 3 c, 3 d of the other row 4 are spaced forming a secondgap, where the dummy tooth 6 is inserted.

Said dummy teeth 5 and 6 are elements adapted to restore a continuity ofthe rows 2 and 4, in particular to allow sliding of the slider 7.

In the example (FIG. 2), the gap between fastening teeth 3 a, 3 bcorresponds to removal of two fastening teeth in the row 2, between theaforesaid fastening teeth 3 a and 3 b. The gap between fastening teeth 3c, 3 d of the other row 4 corresponds to removal of one tooth. Moregenerally, as fastening teeth 3 are alternated, gaps for the elements 5,6 correspond to n fastening teeth 3 missing on one row such as row 2,and (n+1) fastening teeth 3 missing on the other row such as row 4.

As seen in the figures, the dummy teeth 5, 6 are larger than fasteningteeth 3 in the longitudinal direction of the slide fastener.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a preferred embodiment of the dummy teeth 5 and 6.Each is configured with a core portion 10, 11, an upper arm portion 12,13 and a lower arm portion 14, 15. The upper arm portions 12 and 13, inuse, are outside a garment or item carrying the slide fastener, whilethe lower arm portions 14, 15 are inside.

The upper arm portion and/or the lower arm portion have preferably flatsurfaces 16 adapted to carry a distinctive element. For example, a logo,trademark or the like can be printed or engraved onto a surface 16 ofthe upper and/or the lower arm portion.

More preferably, said arm portions have end flanges 17 to securely holdthe edges 18 of the fastener tapes 1, as depicted in the sectional viewof FIG. 3. The side edges 18 are clamped by arm portions 12, 13 and 14,15, preferably by deformation of lower arm portions 14, 15, which arebent to hold the side edges 18 of fastener tapes, as shown in said FIG.3.

The inner face of the core portions 10, 11 of the dummy teeth 5, 6 haspreferably a coupling means to prevent opening of the slide fastener inthe zone of said dummy teeth, when the fastener elements 3 are missing.In the figures, said coupling means is in the form of projectingportions 19 and 20 and recesses 21, 22. In a preferred embodiment, thecore portion has also a projection 23 on the outer face, to improve thestrength of connection to the fastener tapes 1, by pressing against theedges 18.

The left and right dummy teeth 5, 6 of each couple need not to beidentical in shape. In a preferred embodiment, the lower arm portion ofone dummy tooth is larger than the lower arm portion of the other. FIGS.5 to 8 show that the dummy tooth 6 has a lower arm portion 15 which islarger than lower arm portion 14 of the dummy tooth 5. Said lower armportion 15 has end parts 15A extending beyond the core portion 11, tosuitably cover the space S (Fig, 9) which is left between two fasteningteeth 3.

FIG. 10 shows an exemplificative embodiment where the dummy teeth 5, 6are shaped to form a letter “H” when the slide fastener is closed.

1) A slide fastener comprising a pair of tapes, a top stop, a bottomstop, a first row of fastening teeth arranged on the edge of one of saidtapes and a second row of fastening teeth arranged on the edge of theother one of said tapes, the fastening teeth of the first row being ableto engage and disengage the fastening teeth of the second row to closeand open the slide fastener, characterized in that: a) in at least oneposition of the slide fastener between the top stop and the bottom stop,two consecutive fastening teeth of the first row and two consecutivefastening teeth of the second row are spaced away, thus forming a gap inthe first row of teeth, and a gap in the second row of teeth, the gap ofthe first row facing the gap of the second row, b) a first dummy toothand a second dummy tooth are associated to the tapes and respectivelyfitted into said gaps of the first and second row, the first dummy toothand second dummy tooth being suitable to restore a continuity of therows of fastening teeth, so to allow a free passage of the slider. 2)The slide fastener according to claim 1, said dummy teeth having atleast one surface adapted to support a distinctive element of the slidefastener. 3) The slide fastener according to claim 1, said dummy teethhaving a dimension, shape, color, material or any combination thereofwhich is different from those of the fastening teeth, so that the dummyteeth provide a distinctive element of the slide fastener. 4) The slidefastener according to claim 1, said first and second dummy tooth beinglarger than the fastening teeth of the slide fastener, in thelongitudinal direction of the slide fastener. 5) The slide fasteneraccording to claim 1, said first and second dummy tooth providing anengagement which is substantially rigid in a transversal directionperpendicular to the direction of the slider. 6) The slide fasteneraccording to claim 1, each dummy tooth being configured with a coreportion, an upper arm portion and a lower arm portion. 7) The slidefastener according to claim 6, the upper arm portion and/or the lowerarm portion of the dummy teeth having a flat surface adapted to carry adistinctive element. 8) The slide fastener according to claim 6, thelower arm portion of one of said first and second dummy teeth beinglarger than the lower arm portion of the other, having end partsextending beyond the core portion. 9) The slide fastener according toclaim 1, said dummy teeth having magnetic parts to provide a tactilefeeling during the use. 10) The slide fastener according to claim 1, atleast one of said dummy teeth having one or more holes to providetranspiration of the slide fastener. 11) The slide fastener according toclaim 1, said dummy teeth hosting electrical contacts to provideadditional functions of the slide fastener. 12) The slide fasteneraccording to claim 1, said dummy teeth carrying a light-emitting orlight-reflecting part, so to provide a distinctive effect or nightvisibility.